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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Paul Gorst

Liverpool set out Sadio Mane transfer demands as Jude Bellingham signal sent

It didn't take any further studying past the level of GCSE Spanish to get the gist of the front page of AS earlier this week.

Just a few hours removed from Real Madrid's 14th Champions League crown at the expense of Liverpool on Saturday night, the Spanish daily sports newspaper's main headline was a big one: 'Tchouameni inminente'.

Fresh from being crowned champions of Europe, los Blancos were already making significant headway on further additions to their squad. The player in question, of course, is Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, somebody who had previously attracted interest inside Liverpool's own recruitment department.

READ MORE: Sadio Mane gives Liverpool two transfer options as Julian Ward challenge begins

READ MORE: Naby Keita situation after Paris Saint-Germain linked with £42.5m bid for Liverpool midfielder

At the age of 22 and having broken into the French international ranks, the Reds had explored the possibility of adding him to the plethora of options in the Anfield engine room and their good relationship with Monaco was thought to have been an agreeable aspect for any potential deal.

It became clear, though, once overtures had been made that Tchouameni had set his heart on a move to Madrid. And after missing out on a certain Kylian Mbappe, following his decision to stay put at Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid chiefs have only had their resolve steeled in a pursuit of another great hope of France football.

Tchouameni's agent told Liverpool that Real Madrid will be his next destination, meaning attention will need to be turned elsewhere in the pursuit of a midfielder. Anfield insiders insist they are relaxed over that at present and there is no desperate search for another given the options currently available to Jurgen Klopp right now.

Reports linking Naby Keita with a move away have been dismissed pure fabrication and with Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara also giving Klopp a little bit of everything in the middle of the park, there is no huge concern, particularly given Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott are all able to be called upon when needed as well as James Milner.

But Liverpool's interest in Tchouameni, however far along the road it got, is an interesting indication of where Liverpool are looking in their pursuit of improvements.

Jude Bellingham has plenty of admirers in the corridors of power but there is also an acceptance that it might prove too difficult to tempt Borussia Dortmund to the negotiating table in the same summer they have lost Erling Haaland to Manchester City.

At the age of 18, however, the Reds would be confident of giving Bellingham another year in the Bundesliga at a team in the Champions League before a serious play for the England international is made.

Dortmund are viewed as one of the best 'finishing schools' in Europe, as evidenced by the plethora of stars they have sold over the last decade, and Bellingham is young enough to allow those final kinks in his game to be ironed out in Germany.

A move for Bellingham would likely mean a high-calibre midfielder for the best part of the next 15 years given his age and quality. He won't turn 19 until later this month and is already an established England international.

One intriguing subplot is the prominence that Liverpool will start to give to their home-grown quotas in the next year or two. With captain Jordan Henderson turning 32 later this month and Milner 37 in January, the club are keeping a close eye on who qualifies for that status.

Andy Robertson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will turn 29 on their next birthdays too and there is an awareness of the need to replenish the core of their UK-based squad members.

It's partly why players like Kaide Gordon and Bobby Clark have been signed in the last 18 months and Aberdeen right-back Calvin Ramsey is being pursued. It's also a big tick in the box for the incoming Fabio Carvalho, despite his Portuguese heritage and status as a Seleccao Under-21 international. It could yet prove to be a big factor in any pursuit of Bellingham.

Elsewhere the future of Sadio Mane continues to be the source of much speculation. As of Sunday afternoon, the Senegal star had not communicated his desire to leave the club, but insiders are braced for contact from Bayern Munich, who have been continually linked with the forward in recent weeks.

Liverpool won't listen to any offers below £40m, despite Mane now being inside the final 12 months of his contract, and a replacement will want to be sourced before the 30-year-old will be allowed to leave.

The key issue there is just who the club feel is an adequate successor is for a player who scored 23 goals last term and saw his name revolving around the Ballon d'Or conversation prior to Saturday's Champions League final defeat in Paris.

Mane has been in inspired form since the turn of the year, scoring 14 times for the Reds in 2022. Since February, the former Southampton man has lifted the League Cup, FA Cup and Africa Cup of Nations while playing a starring role in helping Liverpool to 92 Premier League points and a Champions League runners-up medal.

There is also his availability and versatility to consider. Mane is rarely injured and is capable of playing across every frontline position at Liverpool. He has flourished down the middle since the January signing of the left-sided Luis Diaz.

Finding a suitable replacement is no easy task then. Jonathan David, now of Lille, and Watford's Ismaila Sarr were both on the shortlist before Diogo Jota was signed in September 2020, while more recently Jarrod Bowen of West Ham and Leeds United star Raphinha were attracting interest before the decision was taken to move for Diaz at the start of the year.

That a deal for Colombian international Diaz was forced to be thrashed out in January, six months earlier than initially planned, has no bearing on finding a player to cover for Mane's potential exit. Liverpool, it is understood, will look for another attacking addition if they have to sell their versatile frontman this summer.

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